A RAY OF HOPE ON THE GRIM STREETS

A Calgary nurse who works on the streets with HIV-infected and
drug-addicted people sketched a graphic and touching portrait of her
clients Monday at a Harm Reduction conference in Lethbridge.

"I want to make the front-line work we do real," said Virginia
Wheeler, co-ordinator of Safeworks Calgary, a harm reduction program
run by the Calgary Health Region.

Jennie Plesko, program co-ordinator for the Lethbridge HIV Connection
said continuing education is the main thrust of gatherings like
Monday's convention.

People toiling in offices don't always get to meet the actual
clients.

"We are always working to increase the competency of those who are
working with populations that are often marginalized," Plesko said.

Wheeler began her presentation by showing photos of the arms of
Safeworks clients, their thin limbs riddled with track marks and
discoloured by deep bruising -- the marks of a daily drug habit.

"Then I tell the story behind each arm and it's very powerful to hear
what their lives are like and all these people have been through."

It's naive to think the streets of Lethbridge are any different than
those of Calgary or Edmonton, Wheeler said.

Infection rates for HIV and hepatitis C are growing among marginalized
groups -- natives, the poor, mentally ill and drug addicted -- and
rising again after a long period of decline among men who have sex
with men.

"But one thing that is changing, the drug scene is beginning to
change, and it has us worried," Wheeler said. "We're seeing a lot more
people using crystal meth, and when they're on it their behaviour is
often erratic and unpredictable."

In Lethbridge, Staff Sgt. Jeff Cove of the Regional Police Service
said crystal meth is here, too.

Crystal meth can be smoked like crack cocaine, but is often injected,
Wheeler said. It's cheaper than cocaine, lasts about 10 times longer
and is highly, quickly addictive.

Its behaviour-changing properties can cause users to take more chances
than they normally would, heightening the risk of HIV or hepatitis
infection.

"We asked 100 people in Calgary how old they were when they first
injected drugs," Wheeler said. "Seventy-five percent said they were 19
or younger, but one person was eight years old."

The average drug-user has been injecting for two years before their
first visit to a needle-exchange site.

"There's a fear of social services, fear of being reported. They're
doing something illegal, so they're reluctant to trust anyone. They
can be in denial for some time, thinking they'll never have a problem.
When they finally come in, they're usually realizing maybe they could
be infected, or the drug use is out of control."

Once someone does come in, front-line workers have the opportunity to
help, but they need to walk softly.

"You don't want to ask too many questions the first time, or they'll
get scared and they might not come back," she said.

"But we do need some identifiers for statistical purposes. We ask them
what drugs they're using, the year of their birth if they'll give it
to us. They can give us whatever name they want to. We have Elvis and
Bugs Bunny both in our program."

A harm reduction conference takes place today on the Blood Reserve,
geared to the specific needs of First Nations people.